


Misunderstandings

by Tallihensia



Category: Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Role Reversal, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-12
Updated: 2010-01-12
Packaged: 2017-11-03 01:47:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/375735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tallihensia/pseuds/Tallihensia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lex Luthor is poor and has a daughter to care for.  He can't hold down most jobs, so when a handsome stranger asked him if he'd be willing to bend his morals a bit and work for him, he said yes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Misunderstandings

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** Only mine in my dreams. ^^ This story was written for free entertainment purposes only and may not be reproduced for profit or altered without permission.
> 
>  **Warnings:** none
> 
>  **Spoilers:** none
> 
>  **Notes:** Pitch-hit. Out of all the Clexmas gifts... LadyDreamer didn't get one! And she's really really awesome and should most definitely have one. :) From her request prompts, I went with the daddy!Lex and rich/poor role reversal... but the characters wanted to do a bit more than the smoopy romance I initially had in mind! ^^; Darn those characters. ;D Much thanks to sue_dreams and twinsarein for the beta(s)!
> 
> Re the AU - I'm playing fast and loose with the Smallville world, as well as a bit of DC. Base canon is what we learned in seasons 1-2, not any stuff from later. In this AU, Lex never went to Smallville, and other changes. They'll mostly be obvious as the story goes along. ^^
> 
> Originally posted at [Clexmas](http://clexmas.livejournal.com/18687.html) for the 2009 Gift Exchange.

# Misunderstandings

"Daddy, can I have a balloon?" Alyssa tugged on his hand.

Lex opened his mouth to say yes, then remembered his empty pockets and winced. "I'm sorry, honey, not right now." He looked at the vendor with all the colorful balloons and wished he could get one. Alyssa loved them so much. Even if she did let them fly off half the time.

"But Daddy, you *always* get me a balloon!" Alyssa started to go over anyhow, confident she would have one.

"Alyssa, honey, I'm sorry, but not today." Maybe he could. It was only two dollars, after all. What could two dollars hurt? It was thinking like that, though, that got Lex into trouble. He'd never known how much of his impulse spending was kept in check by Ardora until she was gone. For all his business acuity, Lex had no clue about personal finances and it showed. The impulse spending wouldn't, however, be a problem if he could just hold down a job.

His daughter was looking at him with wide eyes, surprise and betrayal in those depths. How a five year old could feel betrayed for not getting a balloon was beyond Lex. But a lot of things were. "Lys, it's not that I don't *want* to..."

"What color?" Another voice inserted itself into their cozy niche of two.

Lex turned to look, automatically putting himself between Alyssa and the stranger; a gesture wasted as Lys promptly moved to the side and then forward, right to him. Lex couldn't really blame her. He was tall, tanned, dark hair, and handsome; an absolute walking cliché. Gorgeous as sin, and there was something incredibly innocent about him as well, an air about him as if they weren't in the middle of a city of corruption and deceit. The smile he was bending upon Alyssa was one that could have been directly from angels.

"Red!" Alyssa promptly yelled. "No, green! No, purple!"

The man laughed, the sound as rich as his voice. He knelt down and held out a five dollar bill. "How about if you go pick it out yourself?"

There was a lot of Ardora in Alyssa. Instead of reaching out and grabbing the money, she first looked the man up and down, then glanced up at Lex. Lex, not totally sure himself, gave a nod.

"Thank you, Mister!" Alyssa carefully smoothed out the bill, then ran on swift feet to the balloon vendor.

Lex knew from previous experience that the choosing could take a while. He moved up closer to the vendor so he was within easy reach and then turned most of his attention on the man, while keeping an eye on his daughter. "Thank you. That was very kind."

The man straightened, switching his grin from watching Alyssa to her dad. It was an easy grin, full of bright teeth, white and clean, yet just the faintest bit askew. This was somebody who had never been to a dentist when young or had the indignity of braces; a natural smile that had never been hidden. "You're welcome. It seemed like it could make her happy." He hesitated and then spread a hand out, apologetically. "I did wonder if there was a reason she shouldn't have one, but you sounded genuinely regretful..."

"No reason," Lex accepted it easily. No reason other than money. He wasn't used to being poor. You would think, after ten years, he would be, but it still didn't come easily to him. He'd never expected to be poor for very long. But then fate always was capricious. Lex ran his hand over his head, then held it out to the man. "I'm Lex."

"Clark." The other man held his and they shook.

Clark's hands were calloused, like he worked for a living, and yet, his clothes were that of wealth. Lex remembered having the money once to spend on the higher thread counts, the more comfortable shoes. This man didn't flaunt his wealth in the glamour or glitz; no diamond rings or watches for him, but he was easy enough with it to use it for himself without false economy.

"Do you come here often?"

Lex's head almost whipped around at the question, but he carefully schooled his reaction. It had been a while since anybody had flirted with him, yet that was an unmistakable line, and an unmistakable tone. Lex glanced down at his hand. He'd stopped wearing his wedding ring three months ago, on the second anniversary of Ardora's death. There was still a little pale line where it used to be, though even that was fading.

He schooled himself to respond seriously, not giving in to the odd desire to flirt back. "My daughter likes the park. It's hard to find something so natural in the middle of the city. This is well maintained and peaceful." Well, peaceful except when the hordes of screaming children ran through it. But since one of those same children was his own, Lex couldn't really complain.

"Yeah," Clark stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked around. "It's really nice."

The remark was inane, yet somehow also sincere. Lex got the impression that this man didn't go for a lot of the double-speak language. Carefully, Lex re-evaluated, giving a searching glance up and down, but he concluded his first impression was correct; this man was wealthy. Probably, though, he'd come into it later in life, not grown up with it. It was the early upbringing that showed through more than the trappings.

The man was also younger than Lex had originally thought. From his height and bearing, Lex had originally placed him at his own age, around 31. Upon closer examination, though, Lex thought he was younger, maybe 25 or 26. Unusual to have such poise and confidence at that age. Lex was also rather flattered, to be flirted with so by a younger man. Lex smiled more easily, recognizing that some of the innocence was just that -- a man without experience in the world of corruption.

"What do you do, Clark?" The moment the question was out of his mouth, Lex wished he could take it back. Questions like that led to return questions, and the fact that Lex was, once again, out of a job, made it hard to answer. He grimaced slightly, and almost missed the slight frown on the other man's face.

"I'm... in technology. Biology and research." Clark looked away uncomfortably, his gaze skittering across the grass.

Lex relaxed. Very new to the wealth indeed. Clark had probably inherited a company or something and wasn't yet used to calling himself the CEO. It spoke well of him, to not want to bowl Lex over with credentials on the first meeting.

"I got a red one AND a purple one!" Lys came back to them, a balloon clenched in each fist. "Thank you very much, Mister!"

Clark's smile was genuine as he knelt down to be on eye level with Alyssa, another point on the strange man's side. "It was my pleasure," he assured her. "My name is Clark."

"I'm Alyssa," she declared, and gave a little princess curtsey. Then she offered the red balloon, along with the change, to Clark.

Lex felt his own heart swell up with pride and love. So young, yet so honestly open and truly affectionate. Not to everybody, but when Alyssa met somebody she liked, she attached herself to them.

"Thank you," Clark said gravely, accepting the balloon and the money. Lex wondered what he would do with the balloon.

"Daddy, can we go visit Mommy now?" Alyssa slipped her newly freed hand into Lex's.

He looked down at her, his gaze glancing over the balloon. "You sure, honey?" They'd only been in the park a short time. Walking to the cemetery would take up their free time for the day.

"Yep. She liked balloons."

That she had. Lex nodded, then said a farewell to the handsome stranger. Clark looked a little startled and a little regretful, but just accepted it calmly, saying only that he hoped they'd see each other again.

Lex and Alyssa left the park and headed to the cemetery, where Alyssa carefully tied the balloon's ribbon on one of the metal jars and put it in front of the wall. "For you, Mommy. I hope you're having a fun time up there. We miss you and love you."

Lex ran his fingers over the plaque with Ardora' name on it. "We do." Though really, the pain was mostly for his daughter. After two years, Lex was ready to move on. Lex found his thoughts turning to the young man in the park. He seemed nice, and had interacted well with Alyssa. Too bad Lex probably wouldn't see him again.

\------

"Yeah, I met him -- he and his daughter were really nice. No, I didn't offer him the job. No, no -- not because of anything *wrong* with him. Just the opposite. God, Bruce, you didn't tell me he was so *beautiful!* Well, yeah, I've seen pictures. But in person... have you seen him move? Have you seen his eyes? The way he tilts his head a little to one side, exposing that slim white neck that--- Okay, okay, you can stop laughing now. But really, Bruce, I just barely had time to introduce myself before they were heading out again. Off to see his wife. I thought... Oh. I see. Well, I'll try again later in the week."

\-----

"Hey, Daddykins." "Hey, Big Daddy." "Are you as smooth all over?" "A Twenty to find out." "Fifty." "If he can use his mouth, a hundred." Laughter, course and rough. The offers, however, genuine, for all their crudity. Lex was prettier than most of the woman who came their way, and that was attraction enough.

With the ease of long practice, Lex ignored the calls as he walked down to the grocery store for eggs. Their apartment wasn't in the best part of town, and he desperately wanted to get Alyssa out of there and someplace better... but that involved having money. And a job. Well, he had another interview tomorrow. Maybe this one would go better.

...

"Hi Marisa. Thank you so much for picking Alyssa up for me today. Oh, it went fine. Fine. Lys, say good bye to Rich and Zeb now..."

It hadn't gone fine. It went like most of the others now. They were enthusiastic about his credentials, but as soon as they got to his employment records... Too many short-term jobs, too many firings, too many times he quit. It never was a great record, but since Ardora's death, Lex hadn't been able to keep a job for more than a month, no matter how closely he toed the line, no matter how much he swallowed his tongue, no matter how much he gave them what they wanted.

Lex carefully kept all that hidden from his daughter as they laughed and took a quick turn through the Square before they went home. As Lex made pancakes for dinner, with flour and powdered milk and water and only one egg, he looked at the dwindling pantry and knew he'd have to do something soon.

After Alyssa was asleep, Lex walked outside on the rougher side and listened to the catcalls. As the offers kept increasing, Lex found himself turning to contemplate the men. None of them were anybody he'd voluntarily go out with... but this wasn't a date. God knew he had enough experience from his teenage days. The calls were silenced for a moment at his gaze, then they redoubled. Lex turned away, back to his walk. Not tonight. He wasn't that desperate, not yet.

...

"Daddy, can I have a balloon?" Alyssa tugged on his hand.

Lex sighed. He'd avoided the park deliberately the weekend before so he wouldn't have to disappoint her. He'd known he was just postponing the inevitable. "I'm sorry, honey, no more balloons, we need to buy other things." This time, he couldn't even use the excuse of 'maybe another time'. There were only so many times before an excuse became a lie, and he didn’t want to put Alyssa through that.

Alyssa's face fell. Lex's heart ached.

A throat cleared nearby. "Alyssa and Lex? Hi, good to see you again."

It was the man from the other week, Clark. As Alyssa greeted him enthusiastically, Lex let his gaze rest on the soft features and high cheekbones and wistfully wished that somebody like him would be in the crowd of solicitors. But then, if this man ever needed work, he would be the one selling, and other people buying. People could go bankrupt, for the prices those lips and mouth could command.

As Alyssa mournfully brought up the lack of a balloon, the young man looked up to Lex. Lex appreciated the check and he slightly shook his head. Even though it would be a gift, some days a no really was a no, and this was one of them.

"Well, balloons are really... uh, well, how about a flower instead?" Clark reached out and plucked a daisy and handed it to Alyssa. "Flowers are really nice. Balloons will either drift away or deflate. Flowers... uh, well... flowers go back to nature after she loans them to us. We can watch flowers grow... well, this one is already grown but..."

Clark really was awful at it. Lex shook his head and stepped in. "You and I, Lys, are flowers - we stay with the ground looking up at the sky, we live in it, and it in us. And we change, as do the flowers."

"Mommy was a balloon and she flew away," Lys said solemnly.

Even before she died. Lex agreed.

"I'm going to go play on the monkey bars!" Alyssa announced as she switched topics with lightening speed. She handed her flower to Lex and then took off for the playground.

Lex snorted. A five year old's philosophy; play now, for it is there. He glanced at Clark. "You do realize that now I'm never going to get her to understand why she can't just pick the flowers in the park?"

"Oops." Clark's face was a study in chagrin. "I forgot."

Lex laughed. Definitely country-raised, where the flowers grew wild. He raised the daisy to his nose and sniffed lightly, smelling the sharp tang that was this flower's scent. Not for it the perfumy rose or sweet gardenia, but an earthier, more direct smell.

As he lowered the flower, he caught Clark watching him with an openly admiring look. Their gazes caught and held for a long moment.

"Would you go out with me?" Clark blurted. Then he blushed. Then he hesitated and folded into himself, the tall frame seeming to shrink. "I mean... uh, sorry, that just came out. What I really wanted to do was to ask if you, uh... well, if you need a job, I've got an opening..."

Lex fought the bitter stab of disappointment. For one shining moment, he'd thought Clark might really be interested in something a bit more than just a 'job'. Not that he would have been able to accept, without a real job and no prospect of one. Except the kind that Clark and the others offered. Lex turned his head and watched his daughter playing on the bars, simply having fun and living life as it came. He needed the money, desperately. He'd wanted to earn it rightfully, but circumstances being what they were...

"I know it isn't your usual type of job, and I know you haven't done anything like this for a long time. But you come really highly recommended, and I like what I've seen so far."

Lex's head whipped around at that and he narrowed his gaze at Clark. "Oh really... who recommended me?" His voice dripped ice.

Clark recoiled a step, blinking foolishly. "Uh, well... Br--- Some of your college friends. A Timothy Haldan?"

College. Not quite as wild as his high school, but pretty damn wild all the same until he nearly blew up the chemistry building. That had cost Dad a pretty penny. And Tim... Lex remembered Timmy. He wouldn't have thought, though, that Tim would have slandered him like this. People changed, though, and Lex had burnt a lot of bridges behind him.

"I'm not doing that any more." Lex blinked after he said it. He hadn't meant to categorically say no. Not to Clark. But something within him still rebelled... Lex faced the playground again, watching as Alyssa moved to the swings.

"I've botched this all up," Clark said mournfully. "Look, I really want you. Can't we arrange something?"

If Clark was that desperate... Lex couldn't imagine somebody that handsome and that rich trying to pay somebody to sleep with them, let alone based on a report ten years out of date. And Clark also wasn't very good at it. First time hiring a gigolo? Lex wondered just what on Earth Tim had said about him. Clark had also said 'some friends' and had started to say another name... was this revenge for Lex missing the college reunion? That shouldn't have been a big deal. But if Clark was that desperate... "It can't just be a one-off. I'll want some security for it."

"Um, sure. A month contract? A hundred dollars an hour?"

"Two," Lex automatically came back, though he was frowning over the 'month' -- he'd been thinking a week at the most. Who the hell wanted a whore for a month without even trying them out? It must be the newness of the wealth, and that Clark just wasn't used to arranging for things like that. He should have asked a friend to do it instead.

Clark gulped. "Um, okay, we can do that."

Lex blinked. He'd expected to negotiate it up to 150, not have his first counter-offer immediately accepted. New at the wealth and sucked at business skills. And bought sex based on ten-year old recommendations. Clark wouldn't stay wealthy for very long like this.

"Daddy, come push me!" Alyssa called from across the playground.

Lex automatically started out, then slowed his steps for more conversation out of range of her hearing. "I'll do it for three thousand a week... if you'll arrange for a cover job for me."

"Uh, that's a lot less... Wait, a cover job?" Clark sounded puzzled.

"And insurance." It hadn't been *that* much less - just how many hours was Clark thinking of having him per day? They would also have to work that out. Later. But the insurance would be good to have, with Alyssa's general poor health. "Just get me an office by myself and I'll work on whatever else you like for the month and be available to you when you need -- but I want Alyssa to only know about the office job. I want her to think I've got a real job. "

"But it's---"

Whatever Clark was going to say was cut off as Alyssa fell off the swing and Lex sprinted to her. She was okay, just a scrape on her knee. Lex held her as she squirmed, wanting to get back to the swing. "Let me go, Daddy!"

"First we have to bandage that knee. Wouldn't want to get blood all over the swing, now would we?" Lex pulled the bag of bandages out of his pocket, rummaging for one the right size.

"I've got a car, we can take her to the hospital." Clark hovered, anxious.

Both Lex and Alyssa looked up at him in surprise and then down at her knee. Yes, it was a little bloody, but knee wounds *always* bled. "It looks worse than it is," Lex reassured Clark. He bandaged up Alyssa and then picked her up and swung her around. "But we probably should get home. No more swings for today, Lys." It would be hard to stay with Clark still here. "Do you have a card?"

"A card?" Clark was still looking anxiously at the bandage that was now looking a little red.

"For where I should come to 'work' tomorrow." Lex explained patiently, trying not to be too sarcastic in front of Alyssa.

"Oh." Clark patted his pockets, then pulled out his wallet and extracted a business card and handed it to Lex. "Just ask for me when you get in."

With a handful of squirming child, Lex simply tucked the card away carefully without reading it. He'd know the details later. He tried to summon up a real appreciation for the money and gazed at Clark, noting the rich malachite green eyes and again recognizing the rugged beauty. Maybe this could actually work. At the least, Lex knew he wouldn't have any problems with the interest. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

"No problem," Clark said automatically, his gaze still darting between Lex and Alyssa's knee.

That was it, then. Lex headed off with Lys in his arms.

"Daddy, are you going to work again?"

Lex had to stifle a grin. Lys knew he had to work... but when Lex didn't, he got to spend more time with her so she was happy enough when he wasn't working. If only they had the money. Lex had enjoyed the early years he'd spent as the stay-at-home dad, with Ardora at her full-time job. Baby diapers not withstanding. "Yes, honey, I am. Clark offered me a job." Nevertheless, a little disappointing; Lex had really thought the man had been better than that. Yet it would still be good; Lex couldn't deny the attraction that had been between them.

Glancing back, Lex saw Clark holding the daisy that Lex and Alyssa had forgotten about. Yes, maybe this would work. It would hurt when it ended. However, Lex was used to that.

\--------

"Good news, Bruce! He took the job! No, no real problems. It was a little strange... Well, he didn't ask any questions about the work itself, other than wanting an office, which won't be a problem. But he... well, we were a bit distracted, with Alyssa hurting herself on the swing. No, she's fine. At least Lex said she was fine. There was a lot of blood, but they just put a band-aid on it and turned down my offer to drive them to the hospital. Okay, you can stop laughing at me. Don't give me that -- I heard you chuckle, and that's as good as a laugh. So it's been awhile since that's happened to me. But yeah, he'll start tomorrow."

\----------

That night, Lex ignored the catcalls completely, glad that he didn't have to use that option. Yet. Who knew how long this 'job' would last, despite the initial promise of a month.

Cadmus. Clark Kent owned Cadmus and was the President of the company. Lex had never even thought of seeing Cadmus again. He'd worked there one summer, as his dad had rotated him through summer job after summer job in his teen years, letting him learn business from the inside out. His dad had regretted that last job, however. As a college sophomore, Lex had gotten a decent internship working with the engineers who were designing new water systems. He had gone out to businesses and homes to help install some of the more developed systems to run real-world testing. And in the Slums, Lex had met Ardora.

Lex's dad had screamed and yelled and objected most strenuously, but Lex had been in love. Lionel had threatened to disinherit him. And when Lex had married Ardora anyhow, Lionel had indeed done just that. Lex knew his father, though, and he'd been sure that after a year or two, and an heir, Lionel would revoke it and with a show of reluctance, welcome him back.

Fate, however, was capricious, and a construction accident had put end to any possible reconciliation between father and son. LuthorCorp had been divided up between the vultures, and Lex had seen his inheritance disappear without a trace.

Ardora had been pragmatic about it -- she hadn't really believed in it anyhow. Having grown up with no money, Ardora had worked hard to get her good job and had been on her way out of the Slums. She had made it, and that was accomplishment enough for her. She had made Lex believe it as well. Fate, however, had other plans for her.

In the small apartment, Lex looked at his sleeping daughter and vowed that fate would not have her too. He would do anything for his daughter. And that included sleeping with rich, handsome strangers.

...

After Lex had seen Alyssa off to her Kindergarten class in the morning, he got on the bus and made his way out to Cadmas Labs. It wasn't a bad commute, which would make this month easier. He was going to insist on having the later hours such as he was keeping this morning, as it was important to him to drop Alyssa off. A friend usually picked her up in the afternoons and kept her with her own children. Lex used to pay for her help, however when their finances slipped again Marisa had been very nice about politely refusing to accept any money. Lex knew, though, that she was relieved to hear that he'd gotten a job. Lex was going to do his best to make sure he kept this one for as long as he could.

In the lobby, he gave his name and Clark's and was told to go on up before he'd even finished looking over the informational brochures. It looked like Cadmus had bloomed in the years since he'd worked there. It had been a small research company focusing on the practical and innovative. What they were doing now, though, was far more. Chemicals, bioagents, and space. Lex felt a thrill as he contemplated the research. Even though the office would just be his cover job, he was looking forward to learning and possibly working on some of this. For the last decade, he'd worked in management and consulting, using his Luthor skills learned at his father's knee. But biotechnology and research had been his favorite college subjects and the lab he'd blown up hadn't been through making meth, as some of his acquaintances had speculated and his dad had assumed.

"Lex," Clark stood up from his desk and came to greet him. The relief in his eyes was palatable, and Lex quirked a grin.

Clark was also looking particularly gorgeous this morning. His clothes weren't all that different from the two other times Lex had met him, basic slacks and white dress shirt, with a dark jacket, and he certainly didn't look any different -- same casually brushed silky black hair, green eyes, muscular body. However, the delight writ upon his face and the easy way he approached Lex made Lex's heart leap and dance. Lex would have to be very careful not to lose that very heart to this virtual stranger.

"Clark," he greeted easily in return, and then stepped inside Clark's space and leaned in for a kiss. He might as well start now. Plus, he wanted to taste those rich full lips for himself...

Clark gasped in surprise, but readily opened up under Lex's probing tongue.

Wet, hot, hungry. It was more than Lex had anticipated. He explored leisurely the inside of Clark's mouth, drinking in the eager yet unsure responses. So good. Lex sighed happily into the kiss. He had to admit, he had missed sex. Two years of celibacy were more than anybody should have to endure.

When he finally drew back, Clark was flushed and his breath was coming fast. "That..." Clark paused to swallow and lick his lips, "was quite a greeting." His eyes shone, glittering brightly.

Lex smiled, flattered. He would have to make sure that Clark got his money's worth.

The phone rang, and both men looked over to the desk.

Clark sighed, enthusiasm immediately blanked, and he reluctantly walked over and sat down in his chair. "I have to take this," he said, looking at the caller ID.

Lex nodded, familiar with the routine. He looked with curiosity at the messy desk, with papers and folders strewn everywhere... and was that a left-over fast food bag? Lex grimaced and tossed it in the trash, eliciting a small yelp from Clark which was quickly hushed as he continued with his conversation with the other person on the phone.

Tempted to straighten out the papers, Lex restrained himself. That might be a little too forward at this time. On the other hand... he looked at Clark, unhappily arguing with the phone, and Lex allowed himself a wicked grin. Coming around the desk, he put his hands on Clark's shoulders, massaging out the stiffness. After one brief startled pause, Clark allowed it and even relaxed.

The conversation was with one of Cadmus' suppliers, a parts manufacturer who had apparently been late on several shipments. Bumped all the way up to the President of the company, obviously they were important parts, but equally obvious was that the vendor was taking full advantage of its exclusivity of the particular manufacturing. And Clark sucked as badly at negotiations as he did at telling little girls why flowers were better than balloons.

Lex lowered his hands and sank down on his knees, opening Clark's zipper. He was pleased to find Clark already half-hard from the kiss. Clark really wanted him. Clark had paid... would pay... a lot of money, and Lex was going to give him his value.

"LEX..." Clark said in a strangled voice, clamping a hand over the receiver.

"Don't mind me," Lex smirked as he reached through the opening in the white boxers and pulled out a very nice penis. Uncut; that was a surprise, but one Lex liked. He took Clark in hand and gently pushed down the outer sheath, running delicate fingers down the shaft, which was rapidly growing and stiffening.

Clark gave another gasp, then darted his eyes to his right and focused on the phone, "No! No, Mr. Hartman, I'm sorry. There's just... ah, never mind. Where were we? No, I do take this seriously..."

Lex chuckled as he leaned down and licked the head, swirling his tongue as if he was lightly taking in a summer ice cream cone.

The hand not gripping the telephone came down to lightly touch Lex's head. Such a delicate touch for such a large hand. Such control for what he was obviously feeling.

Lex pulled back an inch and covered the area with his hand. "Tell him 30 at 2." The current terms, apparently, were 120 days at 6 percent. And they still couldn't deliver. Lionel would have had them run out of the industry.

Clark looked down and met Lex's gaze. He frantically gave a shake of his head, while responding to the last volley verbally.

A man who could multi-task was really a wonderful find. Lex tightened his grip, strengthening the strokes. "They can't walk over you like that -- they need you more than you need them. I know the parts are unusual. They are not, however, totally unique. You can find another vendor if you need to, and this asshole needs a lesson. 30 at 2." He returned his mouth to better use.

Above him, Clark's voice hardened, switching completely over from cowed new business owner to a confident, in-control CEO. "No, I'm sorry. We can't accept that. The delays were *not* beyond your control, and Cadmus cannot allow it to continue. We have our schedules and commitments, and we can't work with somebody who cannot respect that." Lex raised his eyebrows, impressed at the change. There was more to Clark than had been obvious. "If we renew, new terms will be 30 days at 2 percent."

Lex rewarded this initiative with an extra hard suck, and he moved a hand to fondle Clark's balls from the outside of the boxers. The hand on his head tightened just a bit before resuming the stroking. Lex would have told him it was okay to grab and hold, however he was enjoying the sensations too much to protest. This was seriously getting him off. If he had a third hand, he would be pleasuring himself as well. Clark was as beautiful below as above, his interest in Lex was all-consuming, and having him trapped on the phone was just hot. Lex let out a small moan around Clark's dick, unable to restrain himself.

The hand on his head tapped twice.

Reluctantly pulling off again and moving his hand instead, Lex tilted to look up.

Clark's eyes were wide and he was covering the mouthpiece. "60 at 4?"

Lex laughed. That was an unexpected capitulation so quickly. That company must have really been feeling its oats, bossing around the new company owner, and then to find that after all the bull wasn't gelded and had horns... They were scrambling back over the fence as quickly as they could. Lex nodded, approving the new terms and returned his attention downward.

Clark quickly finished up the negotiations and hung the phone up. "Lex..." he gasped out, placing both of his hands now on Lex's head and doing more direction instead of simply petting.

Lex hummed happily around his mouthful and allowed the direction. Clark was getting close. Just a little more... Clark gasped out something unintelligible and Lex pulled back to the tip just in time. He swallowed, not even gagging at the bitter taste. It was a familiar and somewhat missed sensation. Ten years, and Lex hadn't realized how much he enjoyed this. Or maybe it was just Clark. Crying above Lex with pleasure that wasn't rehearsed, joy for the act that was not a duty he was performing. Okay, he was paying Lex for that pleasure... but the sound was pure.

After making sure there were no stains, Lex tucked Clark back in and zipped him up. He stood up a little unsteadily, promising his own aching penis a quick trip to the bathroom or anywhere with a little privacy as soon as they got the chance. It wouldn't take long.

"Lex," Clark said wonderingly, regaining his speech abilities finally.

He reached out to Lex, and Lex came in for a quick kiss, but ducked out as soon as he could, getting himself on the right side of the desk and angling himself so his lower half was out of immediate sight of the door.

As Clark stood and started towards him, the door opened and the secretary came in with a set of folders and papers. She hesitated briefly on seeing them in not quite a normal interview position, but came on in without any indication that she suspected what they had actually been doing.

"HR has Mr. Luthor's papers ready, sir, and I have those reports you were asking for earlier."

From the grimace on Clark's face, Lex suspected it was more the reports that he'd been trying to get out of. What was this young man doing as President of his own company? He needed to hire somebody else for that job, if it wasn't something he enjoyed.

"I haven't finished briefing Lex yet," Clark protested, "We were interrupted by that call from Flight-On."

"How did that go?" she asked, curiously but with an underneath sharpness.

Lex stifled a grin. This was a very efficient administrator who obviously liked her boss and yet was frustrated by him at the same time.

Clark sat back down. "They agreed to a renewal at 60 at 4," he said proudly, with a smile in Lex's direction.

The secretary blinked in obvious surprise. "Very *good*, sir," she approved. She glanced at the papers scattered on Clark's messy desk, cleared several of them off, and put her folders down in the newly opened space. "I'll leave these with you, and after I take Mr. Luthor to HR, I'll have Darcy set up the new contract. We better have them sign while they remember it."

"But..." Clark sighed, giving up. "Oh all right. Lex, I'll come down and see you later?"

"You're the boss," Lex said easily, this time not bothering to hide the smirk. "Any time you want." He mostly managed to keep the flirting note out of that statement, though from the glance the secretary gave him, he hadn't succeeded entirely. Luckily, though, most of the visible signs of his arousal had settled so it was safe for him to move out from the corner of the desk and go with the secretary.

When they were outside the office, the secretary turned to him. "I'm Charity -- welcome to Cadmus, Mr. Luthor."

"It's Lex," he said easily, shaking her hand. "Please." He still heard his father in the name. When he and Ardora had married, Lex had considered taking her name instead. At the time, though, he hadn't wanted to antagonize his father so much. A grandchild with the name of Luthor would have had Lionel welcoming him back with open arms. One with another name... Lex couldn't have been as sure of. All for naught. Lex wished he'd gone with his first impulse and given up the name.

"I think you might actually be one of Clark's better decisions..." Charity said thoughtfully, leading him down the hallway.

Lex frowned. "Does he make bad ones often?" Not normally a question he would have asked, but since she'd started it...

"His science is exceptional and his direction for the company is genius. He is, however, still a little inexperienced in upper management and people take advantage of that."

The dagger look from her told Lex plainly that Lex had darn well not better be one of them. Lex wondered what Charity would think if she knew the details of the arrangement. Would she think Lex was the one taking advantage of Clark? For that matter, wasn't he? Lex dismissed the thought; he needed this job, and he would do his best in both capacities, both the fake job and the real one. He wondered what his fake job was going to be.

...

Lex looked around his office with satisfaction. He had asked for a private office as part of the deal and this served very well. Spacious enough and fairly sound-proof for any acrobatics they would get up to, but not so big as to arouse suspicion in the group. They might wonder anyhow, if the boss was down here that much, but with a one-month contract, it could be explained easily enough. Lex had asked for the office calculating that if he could serve Clark well enough during the day, he wouldn't have to get baby-sitters for Alyssa as often at night.

Which reminded him, he still had to talk hours with Clark. He wanted dinners and early nights with Alyssa, with the sitter for later after she'd gone to bed. He wasn't going to give up his time with his daughter just for the money. Though he wouldn't have time with his daughter if he didn't have money; it was a bit of a Catch-22.

Putting that thought to one side for awhile, Lex started to figure out what he would be doing. The title was nicely vague, 'Special Projects Consultant,' yet unlike with most 'special projects', Lex had actually gotten folders and shared drive locations of information on said projects. The HR Coordinator had looked at him a little blankly, though, when Lex had asked for the RRA for his position. Lex had done it mostly just to tease, though. He didn't think they would really keep a roles, responsibilities, and authorities document for what Lex was hired for.

Lex turned on the computer and set up his account and started initializing the email program, something the tech who knocked on the door ten minutes later was slightly astonished to see.

"Oh, all the scientists are smarter than Athena," the IT tech told him, "they're just not as good with the simple stuff."

Lex chuckled, knowing the type. God, he'd missed this. The corporate business worlds weren't nearly as amusing.

After the tech had gone through the routine 'this is what's where and here's our computer policy' and left, Lex opened up his first email thoughtfully.

'Hi Lex. Thank you for agreeing to work with us! I'm sorry I couldn't tell you this up in the office, but thanks for the help with Flight-On. And, uh, yeah. :) I put you in Special Projects because while they're all awesome, they need a bit more direction and I can't be down there as much anymore being stuck up here (Charity says I have to and I don't dare cross her!). You've got full access to their research projects and some info on the lead researchers. Feel free to spend the first few days poking through the info and getting impressions of it all. I'll look forward to hearing what you think about it. Sorry to say, but I promised my mom I'd go home for my parents' anniversary which is tomorrow... rotten timing, but I promised them. I'm going to try and get down to see you before work ends tonight, but if something comes up, I'll be back on Thursday. See you then? Thanks, Clark.'

That was... a surprising email. Lex found himself disappointed that he wouldn't get a chance to go home with the young man tonight, though he told himself for Alyssa's sake he should be happy. But that taste of him in the office... Lex wanted more.

What was truly the surprise, however, was the very real access to the projects. Lex checked the computer and found he really did have everything Clark said, and a bit more beside. For a chance-met stranger in the park, Clark was being amazingly trusting. Lex tapped his lip thoughtfully, wondering just how chance-met it was after all. And if this was a set up, what did they want? It had been many years since Lex had to worry about assaults and discrediting from his Luthor name. It wouldn't, however, surprise him to find it had popped up again. A lot of people were angry when Lionel had died before they'd gotten revenge. The second generation, even one disinherited, could be tempting for revenge.

Although, Lex remembered that he'd been recommended to Clark. Lex had almost forgotten about that, caught up in his moral dilemma and distracted by Alyssa. Definitely not chance-met, then. Though Clark hadn't pushed it initially. Wanted to see him for himself. Whatever other things were going on, Lex couldn't think that Clark meant any harm to Lex. He was too open for that. His attraction to Lex was obvious and that conversation with the vendor proved that Clark just wasn't trained for trickery. Lex didn't doubt that Clark had his own secrets, all people did, yet it took a special type of person to carry off a deception of that magnitude. Which still left the basic question.

Lex pondered it for awhile, however, there wasn't enough information yet to come to a conclusion. He turned instead to the files and looked over the projects.

"Hi Bruce. Oh, he's great! Er, I mean... well, he is. Lex settled in right away and Charity likes him. Yeah, I know, I was surprised too. I didn't get to spend much time with him, not as much as I wanted. Well.... Okay, knock it off, Bruce. Yes, I'm not telling you everything and you darn well know it and no I'm not going to tell you. And no, you can't see a blush over the phone. You better not have bugged my place again! ... Yeah. Yeah, I like him. Thank you for suggesting we bring him in. No, no, I don't think... Lex won't hurt me."

\-----

"Daddy!" Alyssa launched herself into Lex's arms. "Zeb broke my train!" 

Lex blinked and looked over her shoulder at Marisa, who grimaced. "I'm sure it wasn't on purpose, honey. Did he apologize?" With Marisa riding herd on the kids, Lex knew well that Zeb had, no matter what the actual story was.

"Yes, but my train!"

"Um, honey, they're---" Lex broke off at Marisa's frantic headshake. All the trains in the house were the boys', Alyssa didn't have a train that Lex had given her. Apparently at some point, the boys had given her one of their's. "It's okay honey. Trains are like flowers; we enjoy them while they're there, but some day they won't be. It's okay."

"Oh..." Alyssa absorbed the information and then quieted. 

Next thing Lex knew, Lys was wanting down from her hold on daddy, and once on the ground, ran to go play with Zeb and Rich again. Kids. Lex only wished for that sort of 'live-in-the-moment' attitude. Although it wasn't a bad thing to remember. Lex would have to keep it in mind for Clark; enjoy what he had, but not to expect permanency. 

"Thank goodness," Marisa said, laughing a little. "I thought she'd forgotten all about that, but of course as soon as she sees you, it's the only thing on her mind."

"Children are a blessing," Lex replied, smiling. He meant it too. A trial sometimes, but he would give up the world for Alyssa.

"That they are," Marisa agreed.

...

Thursday morning found Lex hard at work meeting with various scientists. After reviewing the files and the briefs, he'd seen immediately what Clark had meant. Special Projects was the research section for geniuses who couldn't be slotted in regular research jobs. But Cadmus was still a company and what the scientist came up with had to be designed, built, and relevant. Just mucking about with an idea wasn't good enough, and flipping from one to another didn't do the company any good. The scientists needed somebody to get them back on track without insulting them. That also meant having somebody who recognized what the track was. Apparently, they'd tried regular corporate managers, none of whom had been able to follow what the scientists had been doing at all.

All the scientists spoke well of Clark, and Lex learned more of what his employer was like. Clark had inherited a great deal of money from the famous astronomer, Dr. Virgil Swann, and had bought Cadmus with it. The company had been turned to research in extra-terrestrial objects and biology, in addition to keeping a strong hand in satellite communications, which Dr. Swann had originally been known for. 

Clark himself was a friendly, eager owner. He originally had spent more time with the scientists than the management, learning about their research and suggesting innovative directions to go. His own degree was in astro-physics, and he fit in well with them. Clark's goal seemed to be towards exploration combined with the more practical applications from discovery. Above all, though, he emphasized safety in the research and verification of results. 

Taking that knowledge, Lex worked carefully. To the researcher working on uncovering deeply crusted meteorites with an acid solution, he suggested gently that, perhaps, wearing sandals while doing so was not the way to produce good results. Just think of the research time lost if there was an accident? Wearing full shoes was a small personal inconvenience compared to that! 

Sometime mid-morning, Lex was interrupted by a knock on his office door. He looked up from his conversation with the biologist, Mercedes, and saw a familiar shape outside the one-way glass. In spite of the practicality that he'd been trying to tell himself about, his heart leaped with joy. 

Mercy quirked a grin and gathered up her stuff. "I'll come back later, Lex. Looks like the big boss wants you."

Lex hoped so, he really did. "Thank you, Mercy. Let me know if any of the goo shows any signs of more independent action."

As Mercy left, Clark came in, greeting her absently, his eyes on only one person. "Lex," he warmly greeted the other, his smile wide.

"Clark." Lex got up and moved to Clark, reaching out behind the man and locking the door behind him. He reached over and ran his fingers through Clark's soft locks before he gripped the sides and brought Clark in for a kiss.

Clark's arms went around Lex automatically, and he returned the kiss eagerly, enthusiastically. 

Tongues vied for dominance, each one wanting to be the one inside and exploring. Lips were licked and sucked upon, nibbled on, kissed. Noses were rubbed. Cheeks. Ears... the lobes explored and tugged upon with gentle lips, lightly bitten. Necks were exposed and treated similarly, sucking on the skin that would probably leave a mark later.

Hands roamed. Over clothes initially, but as the kisses moved, so did the hands. Opening buttons, pulling shirts out of pants, seeking out and finding the mutual skin hidden inside. 

Legs pressed up against each other, trying to step closer, but there was no more closer. 

Clark's hand gripped Lex's butt tightly, kneading and pulling him in. Through the kiss they were currently in, Lex moaned. He wanted it so bad... But this was for Clark. This was for Clark, a paying customer. Lex repeated it to himself a few times, as they mutually ground together. Finally, he was able to take a step backwards and get some room. Lex used that space to get his hands between them and work on Clark's pants button and zipper. 

As he got to the flesh inside, Clark threw his head back and cried out. 

Lex was glad the office was also fairly sound-proofed. He stroked Clark and watched the beautiful face contort in pleasure, eyelids falling over the jade eyes, lips parted.

It was hard to not want to indulge himself. He didn't know yet if Clark wanted top or bottom, and a quickie in the office wasn't the place to find out. But oh, he wanted. Lex compromised, taking one hand back to unzip and pull himself out as well. Then he shoved Clark's pants further down. 

"Lex?" Clark questioned, coming out of the pleasure enough to ask. There was not, however, the slightest hint of objection or protest in his voice or gaze.

"Turn around," Lex growled, his voice rough and low.

Clark shivered and obeyed. 

Lex stepped up behind him, pressing close, looking over Clark's shoulder, his hands coming around to return their grip and activity, holding Clark, stroking him, fondling, pulling, gentle rubs.

With a moan, Clark's head fell back to rest on Lex's shoulder, giving himself into Lex's hands totally.

The permission was heady. Lex thrust along the grove, down along the crack of Clark's cheeks, not aiming for penetration, but simply taking advantage of the press of skin against skin and drinking in the sensations. 

Movement through the one-way glass caught his eye and Lex watched as Mercy walked slowly by, her nose in files. "Look," Lex whispered in Clark's ear. 

Groggily, Clark lifted his head. "What?" he asked, his word barely coherent.

"Think she sees us?" 

Clark's breathing hitched.

"One-way glass... shadows and mirrors. We see her. She's there... we're here, your dick in my hand... what would she think if she could see us? Do you want her to? Do you want her to turn around and see us like this?"

Moaning, Clark reached down, one hand joining over Lex's, the other further back to grip Lex's hip, moving with Lex.

Mercy moved out of view. Clark leaned back, moving with Lex's thrusts. Lex fell silent, his own eyes closing as he concentrated on the feel of Clark's dick, his hands working the foreskin, the strength in the shaft, the slight crock at the end that would be so ideal for rubbing on the prostate... Lex wasn't sure if he wanted to top or bottom with Clark. There were advantages to both. Right now, thrusting against Clark's skin, moving along that groove... Lex wanted to be in Clark so badly. It was hard to restrain from that extra shift over. 

Clark was near, Lex could hear it in his breathing and could feel it in the ragged movements. The office was really not a wonderful place to have smells and evidence. Some was inevitable... Lex had been wearing a musk cologne for the last few days to confuse the curious.

Leaving his nice groove with a regret that was painful, for he too was close, Lex stepped in front of Clark and sunk to his knees. Clark's penis was just as beautiful as he remembered. Red and straining, pre-come on the tip, reaching, straining towards Lex, as eager for Lex's mouth as Lex was to engulf it.

Reverently, Lex ran his hand down the shaft, preparing his way. Clark's hands came down on top of Lex's head and he moaned his name. Lex leaned forward and captured his prize. He moved down the shaft to where it curved slightly, then pulled back up again. Repeating the motion, he went a little further... his hand explored further stroking the sensitive area between the balls and the ass. 

With a choked cry, Clark came. Lex swallowed every drop, his eyes dropping shut as he lost himself in the taste and sensation. He used to never like this part, though he'd done it. With Clark, though, Lex found himself wanting it. The liquid wasn't nectar, but neither was a lemon drop and that drink was intoxicating with the smallest of shot glasses. Clark's come was better. Lex couldn't leave the softening penis, licking up every drop, wishing there was more. Lex's entire self wanted it so much...

Without him quite knowing what happened, Lex found himself on his back on the floor of the office, looking up at the ceiling while a hot mouth came down on him. Wet, hot, a pressure on all sides, sliding in... "Clark," Lex breathed out, his hands tangled in Clark's hair, not gripping but simply along for the ride. 

Clark obviously wasn't experienced, but he was enthusiastic and he was hot, and he made sounds while he was sucking Lex and oh, it was good. Lex's back arched as his vision flashed white and he came.

As much as he wanted to, Lex didn't allow himself to enjoy the after-glow for very long. Even if it was natural for Clark to come visit Lex, they couldn't afford more time locked up together. Maybe Lex could schedule a meeting with Clark tomorrow. A whole hour of his time. A night. Lex had casually approached the idea of night baby-sitting with Marisa's younger cousin and she was agreeable.

When Lex stirred to get up, Clark clutched him tighter, holding Lex to his chest. A natural cuddler, how cute. Lex kissed him softly upon the lips and disentangled himself. "Not here," Lex said, getting up and putting his clothes to rights. 

Clark glanced at the door, his disappointment evident, but not arguing. He also stood, pulling up his pants and fastening his belt. 

Lex settled himself behind the desk and pushed a folder over. "That was the down-payment. If you liked what you had... we need to talk about hours. You're paying me for the month, and I want you to get your money's worth."

"Uh, what?" Clark's large eyes blinked, the wide eyes with their enlarged dark pupils set in the high cheeks giving him a deer-like appearance, caught in headlights, wondering what was the danger bearing down on them.

That, perhaps, had been too abrupt. Lex stood up again and kissed Clark again. He pulled back, leaving his hand upon Clark's cheek. "I want this to be the best month of your life." Clark was paying him enough for it.

Clark's mouth twitched; Lex feeling it on his fingers as his cheek moved. "So do I, Lex, but I was also kind of hoping you'd like it well enough to hire you full-time afterwards and we'd see a lot more of each other then." He glanced around guiltily, "I don't think we should be doing this here, but I can't seem to resist you. You're the most incredible person I've ever met, Lex."

In his turn, Lex blinked. For once, he couldn't figure out how to respond. It almost sounded like... Lex drew back uncertainly. "Clark, what exactly did you---"

A polite knock on the door made them both jump. They both glanced over. It was one of the scientists on the Poseidon experiment. Lex had asked him to come by, concerned about some of the readings the project had been coming up with. 

Clark made an exasperated gurgle in the back of his throat. "Lex, we need to talk. Can I come by later tonight?"

Lex's heart caught. "We will never do anything like this at my home. Not with Alyssa there; never. When you want me at nights, we'll go to your place and I'll get a sitter for Lys. But not at my place."

"I wouldn't!" Clark indignantly protested. "What do you think I am?"

The knock on the door came again.

Lex ignored it, staring at Clark's angry eyes. Instinctively, he trusted Clark, though he had no reason to. "Come to dinner tonight," he impulsively offered, partly in apology, partly because he just suddenly wanted to have it, to have Clark sitting at his table, next to Lys, to watch how they interacted.

Clark's features softened, a shy smile spreading out. "I'd love to. What time?"

"6:30pm," Lex replied. "We eat early due to Alyssa's hours."

"I'll be there," Clark promised, opening the door. There was nobody there, the scientist having gone away. Clark glanced at Lex and made a face which Lex returned. Oh well. Clark grinned and started to leave.

"Clark," Lex called and the other man turned back. Lex handed him the folder. "The reports. I've also emailed them to you."

"Darn it..." Clark glanced at his watch then ruefully at Lex. "I'll have Charity slot out some time for us to go over them in more detail."

There wasn't anybody who had Lex in their line of sight, though Clark was visible now. "I'll look forward to it," Lex purred with a look that wandered down Clark's body, lingering in strategic places.

Clark flushed and started to say something, then cut himself off with a glance around. He shook his head with an amused snort and then really did leave.

Lex went back to his desk and sat down, leaning back. Clark was like a drug. A wonderful, intoxicating drug that left one with all senses tingling and mind racing. He couldn't sit still... just thinking about Clark was going to make him hard again. Lex stood up and headed off to the Poseidon Lab.

...

"Hi Clark!" Lys bounded forward and gave Clark a large hug as far around his legs as she could reach. 

With a laugh, Clark picked her up and swung her around. "Hi Alyssa."

Lex closed the door and watched for a moment with a smile on his face before he squeezed past them to get back to the kitchen. If not watched, the alfredo noodle mix could easily stick to the side of the pot and burn at this stage. Lex hoped devoutly that Clark wasn't so much of a gourmet to notice that Lex had used a basic package mix. It was cheap and tasted good. Lex had forgotten, when he'd extended the offer, that their cupboards were almost bare. He hoped Clark hadn't had any problems in getting here. He hoped Clark hadn’t driven an expensive car. Lex glanced around the kitchen in a bit of despair. There was no way to hide their frugal state. For Alyssa's sake, Lex tried to keep it bright and cheerful. But he still winced at bringing Clark here when Lex was at such a low point in his life.

"Let me show you my ponies!"

With a grin, Lex figured as poor as the rest of the house, at least he was rich in his daughter. If Clark didn't love her, he couldn't love Lex.

Lex drew in a breath at the thought. It was a job. Only a job... he shouldn't, couldn't, think things like that.

And yet, throughout the whole dinner, Lex couldn't keep his thoughts away from it. He had fallen hard for Clark, and he could no longer pretend to himself that he hadn't.

\-------

"I'm going patrolling tonight; I didn't like some of the folks I saw hanging around Lex's place. It's not a safe neighborhood, I'm surprised Lex lives there. I was having dinner with him. Yes, dinner... What are you so worried about, Bruce? You're the one who told me to hire him. Oh, so I can trust him with my company, but not myself? Bruce, Lex has a daughter he's devoted to, he's a good man. Well, yeah, there's a few odd things… I keep meaning to talk to him, but we get distracted. Okay, look, Bruce, you're not my mother and I wouldn't take that even from her! I'm going patrolling; talk to you later."

\-------

With a cheerful hum, Lex gathered up his papers and headed up to Clark's office. He was looking forward to a whole hour with Clark, and he'd ask about time this weekend as well…

Lex came to a stop barely inside, the door shutting behind him unnoticed, his cheerful mood disappearing. "Bruce," he said in a flat voice. 

The man standing next to Clark's desk looked at him with the false smile the playboy usually wore. "Lex, it's good to see you again."

"I wish I could say the same." 

Darkly handsome in a devilish way that showed Bruce knew it and used it; a contrast with Clark's open, innocent beauty. The two of them standing there together was a beautiful picture, yet all Lex wanted to do was protect Clark. Clark, however, apparently didn't need protecting. Things suddenly made sense. It hadn't been those college friends of his after all, though Lex believed that Clark had gotten references from them. Bruce's game, however, wasn't entirely known. He was a rich playboy who spent no time with his own inherited company, going from party to social event to socialite then rotating again. However, Lex remembered when they were young together and how Bruce had been a serious, intense child who scorned the games the rest of them would play and counted himself better than that. Even now, though Bruce wore the false smile, his eyes were narrowed, evaluating Lex with distrust and some other emotion Lex couldn't pick out.

"Lex, Bruce has been helping me with Cadmus… you know I've been struggling, trying to do some of this myself, so I asked him for help. He's been really a good friend and his advice is great." Clark looked anxiously between the two of them, his face a combination of hope and anxiety.

"What you need is to hire a good President and get yourself back to the labs," Lex said, his attention still mostly on Bruce. 

Clark grimaced. "I tried that. Twice. It didn't work."

"I'll find you somebody," Lex volunteered without thinking. Then he was the one who grimaced. His connections were way out of date, and he'd worked for Clark for only four days now. That was a ridiculous offer for him to make.

"Well, I was actually kind of hoping---"

"Let's hear your report on the special projects," Bruce interrupted with a sharp look at Clark.

If Clark had been wanting to hire one of Bruce's people from him, Lex could have told him it wouldn't happen. Bruce may not pay any obvious attention to his company, but he employed the best and he kept them. Controlling his jealousy and distrust, Lex handed the copies of the reports out and described his evaluations.

It was the worst hour he'd ever spent. Well, okay, waiting in the hospital to hear how Alyssa was after she'd been rushed in for one emergency or another was always worse. This, though, came pretty close. Lex tried to escape as soon as he could.

"Lex," Clark called desperately as Lex was almost out. 

Lex held the door from closing but didn't come back in. He looked over at Clark, wanting to go to him, to fix that tone of voice and give him whatever he wanted.

"Uh, dinner tonight?" Clark asked, his expression hopeful.

Before Lex could reply, Bruce cut in. "We're going out tonight."

"We are?" Clark glanced over. "Oh, right. Well, how about---"

Lex couldn't take this. "Another time." He didn't care how much Clark was paying him. He let the door close between them and headed to his office, ignoring the concerned looks Charity was giving him. 

...

That night, Lex handed Alyssa to the babysitter and went and stood silently in a corner of the building across from Clark's. He didn't want to be like this, but like a bleeding wound sometimes itched so you tore it open and made it worse, he couldn't stay away. 

When Bruce and Clark finally came out, Lex watched carefully. Clark didn't act like a man on a date, but Bruce did. Possessive, his hand on the small of Clark's back. Clark essentially ignored him, showing a familiarity with Bruce's actions and a disregard of the same. That reassured Lex somewhat, while it also worried him. 

Bruce was also more observant. His eyes slid over to where Lex was mostly hidden in the shadows and he stiffened before he relaxed and tried to keep going like nothing had happened. Lex raised his eyebrows in surprise; he should have been practically invisible in his location and without movement.

The pause had caught Clark's attention and he stopped, ignoring Bruce's attempts to move him along. Clark spotted Lex easily, and Lex left his eyebrows raised up; he *knew* he wasn't that obvious, and to have both of them spot him so quickly was disconcerting.

"Lex," Clark shook off Bruce's arm and moved forward. "Are you okay? Did something happen to Alyssa?"

With Clark's evident concern for Alyssa, Lex's expression softened. "We're fine." He glanced at Bruce, who had stopped a bare foot back. "I wanted to make sure you were okay. I didn't mean to worry you."

Clark blinked several times. "You wanted to protect me from Bruce?" His mouth twitched in amusement and he glanced over his shoulder at Bruce. With Bruce's grim look, however, Clark's grin faded quickly. "It's okay -- we're fine."

"Can I talk to you alone?" Lex still had most of his attention on Bruce, who glowered back but hadn't said anything yet.

"Uh," Clark looked around and then looked more pointedly at Bruce. "Bruce, can you wait for me... where we were going?"

"Don't be long," was Bruce's only reply before he turned and walked off.

Lex watched him go. Old friend or not, there was something dark about Bruce and he didn't like the possessive attitude towards Clark.

"Lex, what's wrong? Is it something about Bruce?"

"Does he hurt you?" Lex turned his attention back to Clark. He didn't see any marks, but sometimes the worst ones were invisible.

Clark's mouth hung open. "Uh, no. Lex, Bruce is a good friend. He's helped me out of a lot of tight spots, and I've helped him. He's the one, actually, who recommended you for the job."

And to have it confirmed so *casually* just stung. "And you see nothing wrong with your boyfriend recommending you get an expensive whore for a month? What sort of a hold does he have on you, to make you do something like that? What sort of a kink does he have? Or does he just get himself off and leave you unsatisfied... He's willing to receive but not give, so he sends you to me? You're better off without him and his advice if this is what he makes you do!"

"He's not--- whore? What...," Clark was trying to talk through Lex's tirade and when Lex finally ran down, Clark stared at him in horror. "Oh God. Lex, you thought I… For sex? You mean all that we did was only... I'm going to be sick." Clark looked like he was too; pale under his tan, shaken, his cheekbones standing in high relief.

Lex thought he might be sick as well. His world turned a 180 and flipped around the other way, leaving his stomach twisted and nauseous. If only he'd questioned it further that day he'd wondered. Or did he just so badly want to fuck Clark that he ignored the signs? Blindly, Lex brushed past Clark and headed home. 

"Lex, Lex, LEX!"

Strong hands grabbed him and held him still. Lex refused to look up, his gaze on the sidewalk and the dark cracks running through the pale cement. He didn't want to see what would be in Clark's gaze if he looked up.

"Clark, what on Earth did you say when you were hiring him?" Bruce's hated voice came from somewhere near, sounding amused.

"I said I really wanted him... I was a little distracted at the time! Bruce, would you just go away?"

Bruce snorted. "I don't think I'm the problem."

The hands on Lex's arms tightened. "Fuck you too." 

With a suddenness that had Lex breathless, he was caught in an embrace and then his feet left the ground. Instinctively, he closed his eyes to protect them as air whipped around wildly then stilled, ground under his feet again. Lex cautiously opened his eyes to see the park around them. The park was miles from Clark's building. 

"Lex, sit down, you're not looking so good. Oh God, Lex. I'm so sorry. I... I didn't mean..."

Instead of sitting on the park bench behind him, Lex shook off Clark's grip and walked a few paces out, looking around at the park curiously. "Lab Seven. You study the meteorites because you're affected by them."

"Lab Seven isn't in Special Projects, how did you... uh, well, yeah. That's a close enough description for now." 

Clark walked to Lex and stood next to him, not too close, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "Lex, I thought I was hiring you to be the Special Projects Manager. If it worked out, I was going to ask if you wanted to be President of Cadmus. Bruce, who really *is* just a friend, said you were a genius and were by nature a scientist yet trained for management. He also said you two had something between you so not to mention him. And then he comes barreling in when I mentioned we were dating. I *thought* we were dating. God, Lex..." Clark's voice hitched.

"I'm sorry," Lex said, staring at the dark silhouettes of the trees, outlined against the city lights. "I forced you. I thought that's what you wanted; I should have seen it wasn't. Instead, I'm a rapist that I wouldn't let my daughter near..."

"No!" Clark got in front of Lex again and put his hands on Lex's cheeks, running one hand tenderly over Lex's head before coming back. "I did want it, I do want it. I thought you wanted it too. If anybody is the rapist here... Lex, I swear, I thought we were---" he choked to a stop. "I was too eager to notice it was only a job for you. I'm sorry, I should have paid more attention to you."

Lex grinned a little at the irony, raising his own hand to touch Clark's cheek. "It wasn't just a job." 

With a startled expression that relaxed slowly, Clark leaned into the touch, his gaze earnest upon Lex's. 

They stood together for a long while, just touching and looking at each other. Seeking reassurance and a connection that they had thought they had only imagined.

"Lex, what are you thinking?" Clark finally asked after the silence drew on.

"Something sappy that men don't say."

Clark laughed a little, his hands running over Lex again, as if he was unable to stop touching him. "I don't mind sappy. And I want to know what you're thinking."

Taking a step forward, Lex put himself in Clark's embrace, folding his arms around him and looking out over his shoulder. "If I hadn't already been half in love with you, I wouldn't ever have said yes."

Clark's breath drew in sharply, and he held Lex closely. After a moment, he asked, "Only half?"

Lex laughed, stepping back to look at Clark again but not moving so far to drop the embrace. "I think the rest came when I read your first email. You trusted me with no reason. And you are so... you."

"I was in lust pretty much from the moment I saw you, but I think I fell in love when you explained to Alyssa that we were flowers."

Quirking his mouth up, Lex said, "No offense, but you need more practice in how to talk to children. That wasn't anything special."

"I hope to get better, and to have lots of chances to practice with Alyssa," Clark's expression was earnest and hopeful. 

Lex rather thought Clark would do fine. Alyssa liked Clark too, and when they both liked each other, it should work. He didn't want to give Clark up. "I guess I should thank Bruce, though I don't really want to."

Clark grimaced. "I'm going to have to apologize to him for leaving like that. But later. Lex, ---" Clark stopped what he was going to say and leaned in and tentatively brushed his lips against Lex's.

No more misunderstandings. Lex opened his mouth and let Clark in, leaning back into his embrace and giving Clark all the control. 

The kiss was gentle and sweet. There was hunger, though restrained. Careful exploration, pauses to check on reactions, movements slow and deliberate. This time, they both knew what they were doing and why they were doing it. No more misunderstandings.

  


* * *

END

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End file.
